


home is where the sun sets

by awkwardspaceturtle



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Late Night Conversations, Pining, Post-Canon, Pre-Epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardspaceturtle/pseuds/awkwardspaceturtle
Summary: She was a song he learned note by aching note, he studied every line in her lyric until the words bled copper sunset in his mind. Using the word‘beautiful’didn’t seem like enough; nothing he could ever say out loud would tell her how she really looked in his eyes.
Relationships: Inoue Orihime/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	home is where the sun sets

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 for Ichihime Week 2020: Family
> 
> late entry, but here it is!
> 
> this is probably the only work on this tag that isn't centered on Kazui (i LOVE him, but i wanted to explore ichigo's feelings before they finally get together >_<) but i hope you enjoy it nonetheless! it got pretty poetic right down the middle and i hope i framed ichigo's pining of orihime well. also cue the sunset metaphors
> 
> orihime is referred to here by her last name because they have't crossed the threshold of being together-together yet :3

The plan had been to study as a group for their Trigonometry pre-final evaluation test, and after syncing their schedules with Inoue’s day off, they’d finally organized a study session at Ichigo’s house that afternoon.

It would be an actual study session if Ichigo’s family hadn’t been fawning all over Inoue.

“Your hair is so pretty and soft!” Yuzu practically worshiped the long wavy tresses as she worked her way around tying them up in a braid, like Rapunzel’s in _Tangled_.

“I bet you get a lot of suitors,”’ Karin, feigning nonchalance, said while throwing a look at her brother. Inoue, eyes trained at her open notebook, visibly twitched in her seat, embarrassed at the thought of talking about such matters in front of Ichigo.

“N-not really,” she stammered, but Ishida and Chad simultaneously nodded their confirmation of facts. Her already silent reply was quickly drowned out by the crying of the Kurosaki patron.

“It has been a while since Ichigo brought over such a goddess. Masaki, are we finally getting blessed?!” A stickler for comedic routine, Isshin cried at no one in particular.

“Would you guys stop it? This isn’t a petting zoo, and Inoue isn’t someone to ogle at!” Ichigo finally snapped.

“O-ho, protective aren’t we?” Karin challenged, an eyebrow raised to match her mischievous smile.

“This is a study group, and we just want to study in peace,” Ichigo declared through gritted teeth. His family chose the wrong time to go unreasonably crazy.

“But I’m almost done with her hair,” Yuzu puffed out her cheeks. “Give me five minutes.”

“Why are you doing her hair? She’s not going anywhere but home after this.” Ever the man of tact, Ichigo asked, and this immediately earned him the most defiant look Yuzu could muster through the tiny pearls of tears in her eyes.

“Karin, please, would you at least drag the old man downstairs” Exasperated, Ichigo pleaded with his other sister. Somehow, Isshin had started drinking tea with Chad and Ishida, who both sat calm and nonplussed at all the commotion.

“Only if you apologize to Yuzu,” Karin responded coolly, both hands crossed over her chest. Noticeably, she seemed a lot more interested in Ichigo’s response than seeking for his repentance.

“I can’t believe the two of you sometimes…” Utterly defeated, Ichigo scratched the back of his head, conceding to her terms. “Okay. I’m sorry for raising my voice just now. But please also understand, we’re on a tight schedule. Inoue can come over at any day, you guys can play or whatever as long as you guys want.”

Then, stealing at glance at Inoue, Ichigo continued,“Of course, as long as it’s alright with Inoue, too.”

Hearing this, (Isshin’s and) Yuzu’s eyes sparkled with outpouring glee. Fighting hard not to forgive him just as easily, she mumbled, “W-what do you think of my work?”

“Hm?”

“She’s talking about Orihime’s hair,” Karin said. “The braid.”

“It’s very beautiful, Yuzu--” Isshin’s mouth stopped functioning the second Karin’s fist collided with his face.

Now Ichigo could have just as easily waved it off with a simple word of affirmation, but even without the prompting of his sisters or anyone at all, his eyes would often navigate any room for Inoue. He never stared too long out of his respect for her, but now with Yuzu’s request as an excuse to focus all his attention to her, he finally allowed his gaze to completely fall on Inoue.

He’d already memorized her since long before, that when he closed his eyes he could map out every strand of hair that fell around her face whenever she turned around at the sound of her name; he could tell just how close her curled eyelashes would be to kissing the tops of her cheeks when she took a nap on her desk; he could pick out her real emotions with the way her shoulders hunched and shook when she laughed.

She was a song he learned note by aching note, he studied every line in her lyric until the words bled copper sunset in his mind. Using the word _‘beautiful’_ didn’t seem like enough; nothing he could ever say out loud would give justice to how she really looked in his eyes.

She didn’t move an inch the entire time that when he noticed her eyelids flutter, his heart almost skipped a beat. A second later and her eyes, which had taken every effort to avoid his in embarrassment, finally locked on his gaze, and this time Ichigo’s heart did make the leap.

Ichigo tore his eyes away and muttered an almost inaudible “Th-that goes without saying.”

Funny still how he could wax poetic about ideologies of justice and morality in front of an opponent, yet he couldn’t even tell the girl he liked how much color she has touched upon his life.

The plan had been to end at around nine o’clock, but due to the entire ruckus, the group dispersed at around a little after ten. Ichigo’s sisters had fallen asleep earlier, but they stopped by Ichigo’s room to help tidy up the dinner that the group decided was best eaten during the session. When it was time to go, Ishida gave his pleasantries and wished Ichigo good luck on their test. He didn’t extend the same wishes to Chad and Inoue, which made Ichigo suspicious.

“Why? Naturally, out of the four of us, you’re the only one who needs it,” Ishida said coolly before waving them all goodbye and making his way home.

“Ha, he’s not wrong there,” Isshin chuckled heartily under his colorful striped night cap.

“Just go to sleep already, old man,” Ichigo fired back, but in a hushed volume out of respect for his already sleeping neighbors.

“See you guys tomorrow,” Chad said, and he too disappeared down the street. Then it was only Ichigo, his dad, and Inoue standing under the light of the Kurosaki Clinic.

Apropos of nothing, Isshin turned on his heel and pointed a finger at on his son. “You better see her home, Ichigo!”

“Did you really think I was going to let her walk home alone?!” Ichigo whisper-screamed back.

“I-it’s fine, I’m used to it…” Inoue began, but Isshin suddenly clasped his hands around hers and zoomed his face close to her.

“You can never really tell what dangerous elements lurk around in the dark, young lady. And we can’t let anything happen to you--”

“ _You_ are the only dangerous element around here,” Ichigo said with a warning pinch to his dad’s rear.

They spent the first few minutes walking in silence, Isshin in his long cotton robe a mere silhouette waving at them in the distance. Ichigo didn’t want to broach the subject of the test; they’ve had enough of math for an entire night, and frankly, his brain felt too drained from all the studying.

He busied himself by looking up at the starlit Karakura sky, thinking of all the things he’d had to do to get to this peaceful moment right here. Back then, he was just Inoue’s classmate, an acquaintance going to the same school and living in the same town. Who knew that what he became would be what she needed at the right time, that fate had been weaving their paths into a single fabric?

If he hadn’t become a _shinigami_ , he would have had no way of saving Inoue from dying when her brother Sora became a hollow. He never would have gotten to know her better, never would have gotten the chance to build a friendship with her. And yet here they are now, two feet apart, walking side by side under the stars, no frantic haste in their steps despite the deepening night.

Who knew that the distance between them would shorten in such a small amount of time?

“...I’m so sorry about tonight.” Ichigo suddenly mumbled, breaking the silence.

“Hm?” Inoue turned her head to him, a bit confused.

“Yuzu, Karin, Dad,” Ichigo elaborated. “We finally got the group together for a study session but it turned into such a ruckus. And on your day-off, too.”

Inoue waved her hands cheerfully, a little apologetically even, as if she was the one who had imposed on their kindness. “Don’t worry about me. And there’s nothing to be sorry about, they’re family.”

“Still, I’m sorry for making you stay out this late.”

Still smiling, she shook her head. “It’s nothing, really. I had fun.”

She yawned and stretched out her arms like a cat. “Besides, because of graduation coming up and my part-time job, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten together like with so many people. I liked the sense of reunion it brings.”

Ichigo thought about how Inoue’s days usually ended. After a tiring day at school and at work, she would have to come back to an empty apartment, make herself some dinner or eat the left over bread from her job, all alone. He could imagine her talking all lively to the shrine photo of her brother, and he knew that made her less lonely, but still. Seeing her smile in that moment, he ached for the times she’d been all by herself. She held a kind of strength and resilience in her that was larger than all of theirs combined.

Then her shoulders sagged by a fraction, her bright eyes suddenly fell, and her smile curved inwards almost imperceptibly. Other than Tatsuki, only Ichigo would notice these small changes in her body language.

“Your family is so warm and nice…” She continued, almost wistfully. Ichigo knew very well what her voice trailing off meant. He was suddenly overcome with the desire of never letting her have to feel that way again.

He balled his fists. Two feet apart, and he wanted to reach out for her.

“They could be your family, too, you know.”

As soon as he had said the words aloud, Ichigo’s ears turned pink, and his heart protested wildly about his sudden surge of confidence. He was pretty sure the night air had felt cold, yet he started sweating buckets. Beside him, steam was coming out of Inoue’s ears. The _shinigami_ patrolling Karakura that night brought some popcorn out.

“I-I mean, you know,” he recovered, albeit not smoothly, “It’s what I said back there. You can come over any time. Like family.”

His entire body felt stiff. He dragged his feet along, a wooden doll of nervousness on the pavement. Heart pounding, he was torn between hoping she understood what he meant and hoping that she bought his recovery instead.

“K-kurosaki-kun…”

Whatever Inoue meant to say was drowned out again by crying.

“Great job, son!” Walking in his full robe and nightcap glory, Isshin stepped out from the shadows bringing in the water works. “Now that Inoue is officially part of our family, may I suggest you start calling each other by your first names?”

Ichigo turned to stone. Inoue’s head made like a train and produced more steam.

Needless to say, Karakura town knew no peace that night.

Ichigo thought he had seen everything beautiful there is about Orihime, until the day he saw her cradling a little bundle with a matching sunset crown in her bossom after she gave birth. He thought he would love no one else like he did her, until he met their son. As he sat beside them, Orihime's head resting on his shoulder, he let the tiny hand curl around his index finger. He looked so small, so pure, and just as radiant as his mother.

A tear escaped his eye as he smiled down at their baby, all their hopes and dreams wrapped in such a tiny present.

"Welcome home, Kazui."

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!  
> kudos/comments are <3 <3


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